In the midst of the dramatic events in Syria, one of the debates that have emerged in Tehran pertains to whether post-Assad Syria will ever repay the debt to Iran that has accumulated over the past 14 years. It is conceivable that the new regime taking shape in Damascus may develop an antagonistic attitude towards Iran and Russia as the main backers of Bashar Al-Assad. At the same time, the Islamic Republic is clearly trying to establish a working relationship with some of the opposition forces that may contribute to the future Syrian government.

In its first official reaction to the collapse of the Assad regime, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement on Dec. 8 which...